republican congressman paul ryan are preparing on the ground in kentucky before their face to face battle. at least one senator offered a prediction. >> tonight joe biden will make mince meat of paul ryan. >> reporter: biden is certainly in the uncomfortable position of trying to gain ground lost in the last debate by the man at the top of the ticket, president obama. polls show a tighter race in the battleground states of virginia, florida, ohio, wisconsin, colorado and nevada. paul ryan has been doing his homework studying stacks of paperwork since he was named running mate and yet republicans are trying to lower expectations. >> i would think everyone would get nervous. i get nervous watching it. so i don't think it's unusual. i think it's normal and obviously joe biden has been around a long time. he's been through this many times. >> reporter: mitt romney in north carolina with the reverend billy graham decided a little extra help couldn't hurt. >> prayer is the most helpful thing you can do for me.

>> reporter: as for biden, here's a look at him preparing for the debate while in delaware and a quick quip as he prepares for a walk-through at center college. >> you ever seen me rope a dope? >> reporter: a large audience will soon see what biden and ryan can do at the smallest college in the smallest town ever to host a general election debate. stacey cohan, 9 news now. >> we should note once again cbs news coverage of the debate begins at 9:00 sharp here on channel 9 and once again wusa9 is partnering up with usa today to be your fact checking authority. anita brikman live now at usa today hq with the fact checking team. ready or nothere can only biden and ryan. >> reporter: it could be a heated one tonight, derek. yes, we are ready. the political team here at usa today is staying late to watch the debate with us and be with us at 9news at 11:00. we don't just want our viewers to watchous channel 9. we want that, but we -- watch us on

channel 9. we want that, but we want you on facebook and twitter joining the conversation. here's what will happen tonight. once the debate starts usa today reporters will be live blogging what the candidates say. you can track that on www.wusa9.com and take part in conversations via our facebook page and twitter feeds. if you're not near a tv to watch the debate on channel 9, it will be live streamed on our website. then at 11:00 i'll be fact checking the debate with the usa today political team and checking back in with you, derek. it is going to be an exciting night. >> looking forward to it. thank you. four people have to find somewhere else to sleep tonight because their home in olney has burned to the ground. the house is in the 4500 block of cannes avenue before a fire broke out today, that is, and completely destroyed it. it began inside and quickly spread. the red cross came to the rescue of the two adults and two teenagers who lived there. what started the fire, nobody knows yet. sky 9 also out over the scene in silver spring where a

4-year-old boy fell out of a ninth floor window in a high rise in the 8800 block of piney branch road. police say that child was taken to children's hospital in serious condition and a source tells 9news that boy may have been home alone and that a maintenanceman had to let the cops into the apartment. police and child protective services are investigating. the controversy goes on at galludet university. the school's chief diversity officer still on paid leave because she signed a petition that helped put maryland's same sex marriage law on the november ballot. so is this a violation of . ang la mccaskill's first -- angela mccaskill's first amendment rights or is the case of a diversity officer not supporting equal rights for all? bruce leshan is looking for answers. >> reporter: two people at the heart of this controversy are not talking. the galludet university president did send out an e- mail blast to students saying that dr. mccaskill has participated in a legislative

initiative that some feel is inappropriate. dr. mccaskill's husband did pick up the phone at their upper marlboro home and said no comment because they're still looking for a lawyer, but he did say his wife is so upset about this that she is now under a doctor's care. >> i was quite shocked. >> reporter: the man leading the effort to block gay marriage in maryland says he is shocked. >> now we're saying because she signed a petition oops, put the brakes on. she can't fairly do her job when i think the day before anybody would have probably said she's done a great job. >> reporter: but the group unking support for same sex marriage also -- urging support for same sex marriage also says galludet made a mistake. >> question 6 of marriage equality is about fairness. we think it's only fair dr. mccaskill be reinstated. >> reporter: mccaskill has served galludet nearly a quarter of a century and is the first deaf african american woman to earn a phd from the nation's premier university for the deaf, but many students still support the administration's decision to place her on leave for signing

the petition, the petition to give voters a right to veto same sex marriage. >> dr. mccaskill is the chief diverse is i officer and with that position we expect -- diversity officer and with that position we expect her to include everyone. >> reporter: this is now raleying cry for the conservative family research -- a rallying cry for the conservative family research council which has blasted out an e-mail to its supporters urging them to contact galludet and demand dr. mccaskill's immediate reinstatement. at galludet university bruce leshan, 9 news now. only on 9 tonight a tough lesson for a local church, matthews memorial baptist unknowingly hired a child sex offender despite the fact they conducted a criminal background check. andrea mccarren uncovered the story at the historic church in south of east d.c. >> we were shocked. i mean we're still in shock. >> reporter: that shock and sense of betrayal is over 33- year-old gary mabry of

baltimore, a talented and charismatic pipe organist hired by this church five months ago. no one suspected he was a registered child sex offender. >> it's heartwrenching to see him for who he is in this picture. how could we miss that? >> reporter: the church did a criminal background check before hiring mabry, but it didn't turn up this 1999 conviction in d.c. for which he pleaded guilty to child sex abuse. in 2001 he pleaded guilty again to child sex abuse, this time in maryland. records reveal mabry served six years in prison and the court strongly recommended that he receive treatment for sexual deviant conduct. >> what we say around here, we trust god, not people.

because people of faith do lie. >> reporter: mabry's criminal history only came to light after he violated church policy 10 days ago by getting together with a 16-year-old girl outside of church. he was abruptly fired. >> he was let go because he picked her up from school. on our staff you don't do that. >> reporter: police were called, but since the girl is 16 the legal age of consent in d.c. and maryland, officers said there was no need for further investigation, but the church learned a tough lesson and from now on will only conduct national background checks on potential employees. again, mabry has not been charged with a crime. he is under state supervision, but he hano special conditions placed on him by the court that would restrict his activities or his places of employment including his

ability to work with children. andrea mccarren, 9 news now. >> that church was willing to speak with us to help make sure others are aware of the national sex offender registry coordinated by the department of justice. for a link to that go to our website www.wusa9.com. folks, this just in, the washington nationals so close to playoff death have new life and they got it in the most dramatic fashion possible. let's get out live to dave owens in nats park where folks are just losing their minds. dave. >> reporter: let me tell you, derek, i hope you can hear me. 44,392 were here and this is what they're saying. >> let's go nats! let's go nats! let's go nat >> reporter: all right, all right. hey, you know, i'm going to try. i'm going to try there. you go. i'm going to try to calm them down here for just a second and

talk to a couple folks. we got a little natitude right here. hey, buddy, how good was that game tonight? >> the best. >> they're the best! >> reporter: hey, the little guy says it. how about some other folks out there tonight. hey, you were here earlier. what was that ballgame like? >> the game was great. awesome, wasn't. >> reporter: jayson werth, right? -- awesome, baby. >> reporter: jayson werth, right? >> the man, greatist i've ever seen. >> reporter: i'm interested toen what the scene was like. we talked about 12 pitches and washington d.c. and baseball. we've talked about washington d.c. and baseball. what was it like just being out there tonight? what was it like to be out there tonight? >> we want to be at strasburg's first game, the energy unbelievable. >> let's go nats! let's go nats! let's go nats! let's go nats!

let's go nats! >> reporter: i think you've got your answer. i think you've got your answer, guys. bedlam out here on south capitol. for some of you who didn't see it tonight, take a look at what it was tonight. jayson werth in the top of the 9th and in the bottom -- excuse me. we'll go first to laroche who struggled all night belong hits a home run. he was 1-11 coming into the game that. made it 1 -0. we have fast forwarthrough the bottom of the 9th. jayson werth, one swing and there it goes, washington forces a decisive fifth game. they win tonight. what a finish out here at nats park. so that sets the scene for tomorrow, guys. as you can see it here, it sets the scene for tomorrow. 8:37 start time. the nats will take on, of

course, the cardinals in the decisive game five. winner goes on to take on san francisco. what a night here on south capitol. i think these fans like it, guys. >> let's go nats! let's go nats! >> reporter: derek,if you can hear me, i'm going to toss it back to you. >> thank you, dave. the question on the minds of millions were you in the house the night jayson werth forced a game no. 5? what a night, looking forward to tomorrow night's game. meantime mitt romney's mention of big bird has given the bird some new fame. we'll tell you why you'll probably see him a lot, especially toward the end of this month. >> but up next a deadly fire in baltimore leaves a family devastated and this is a really sad story. we've got all the details for you.

very sad news out of baltimore, a house fire killed five people including four

children. this one mapped early in the morning in the 5600 block of denwood avenue. nancy worrell and her husband were in the house with their four grandkids and when the fire started, the husband jumped out of the second floor window breaking his back. worrell tried to save the grandkids, but none of them made it out. the children's ages, 1, 2, 4 and 7 years old. investigators are still trying to figure out what caused this one. if you are looking to be something different this halloween, dressing up as big bird, that should not be your choice. ever since mitt romney called him out during the first presidential debate, one costume wholesaler in california said big bird suits have been selling like hot cakes. in fact, retail prices range from 40 to 100 bucks, but store owners expect that to go up because the demand is just that high. we'll be right back in a moment with topper.

i'll admit it. i was a little bit down on the nats after that he parissing loss yesterday, but you know, every -- embarrassing loss yesterday, but, you know, every day is another game and tomorrow the cardinals will be sitting around going what the heck happened? >> reporter: day, tell you what. take a -- derek, tell you what. take a listen to some of these fans. that's all i need to say. >> let's go nats!

>> reporter: all right. that's the fans. how about the hero of tonight's game, jayson werth? here's what he had to say about the big hit. take a listen. >> they got a really great mentality. we got a great manager to lead us. we got a great organization from top to bottom, from the lerner family on down. this is a great place to play. i said yesterday i liked the spot we were in. we just needed to win this game. we won this game. all bets are off tomorrow. >> reporter: derek, that's the scene from jayson werth. these fans are saying game five in the books. back to you. >> all right. very excited about game five tomorrow. thanks, dave. bottom of the 9th, walkoff home run. >> i was peeking a little bit at the game. eight the last nine outs were strikeouts for us against the cardinals. wow. okay. all day i've had their little logo on my seven-day because i believed there would be another game and there will be. let's take a live look outside, our cam catch high 

temperature 63, average high 70 -- cam, our high temperature 63, average high 73. probably see 20s tomorrow night. wind out of the south at 7 and the frontal boundary still to our west that will roll through early tomorrow morning. 55 great falls, 52 in fairfax already and bethesda, 57 in college park and 56 down toward old town, pretty chilly everywhere, but the coldest air of the season is on the way, just chilly tonight. need your sunglasses tomorrow, chilly for high school football. i would dress for the 40s tomorrow night and the freeze watch already in effect north and west for friday night. for tonight clear early, a few clouds late, chilly, 38 to 48, winds southwest at 10, at 5 to 10. now tomorrow morning the front goes through. skies return mostly sunny, breezy, chilly start, 40s and 50s. there are your northwest winds

10 to 15 behind the front and that front will usher in pretty cool canadian air. by afternoon partly cloudy, a bit breezy and cool, a nice finish to the week, might temperatures around 65, winds -- high temperatures around 65, winds out of the north 10 to 15. so again a freeze watch in effect montgomery county north and loudoun county north and west for tomorrow night. if you have plants you want to try to save, either bring them in tonight or tomorrow night or cover them, but remember if you cover them, you got to uncover them. that's almost just as important. next three days code green, cool but nice tomorrow, 65, cooler but still nice saturday, 62, and gorgeous on sunday, ravens at home, skins at home, 77 for a high, upper 70s. next seven days some showers monday. the good news is it stays warm to mild, some showers monday, 72 or so tuesday. then we're back in the mid-70s wednesday and better chance for showers thursday, but we hold

in the mid-70s, which is pretty good. >> you are the man, topper. no, jayson werth is actually the man. we'll be back.

in the mailbag tonight some reaction to my let's be real commentary from last night suggesting that americans would do well to think of 14-year-old malala when they think of islam rather than the taliban extremists who shot her in the head. that earned me some points with ibrahim from d. my wife and i have tried to communicate -- from d.c. behave and very tried to communicate for 20 years -- my wife and i have tried to communicate for 20 years that these people try to kill anyone who opposes their narrow and political objective. congratulations for offering a refreshing balance to our viewers of wusa9.

thank you for the kind words and then this on the case of angela mccaskill, diversity director of galludet university put on administrative leave for signing a petition to put a gay marriage law to a vote in maryland. john from chantilly can't believe what he's hearing. an administrator from galludet university is on leave because she does not support gay marriage and is advocating against gay marriage? have the political correctness thugs taken over? well, john in, in case it would appear they have, though it must be noted that people on both sides of the gay marriage argument have demanded that she be reinstated. so perhaps all is not lost. finally yesterday i asked for photos of your pets dressed up for halloween after we reported that americans will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on pet costumes this year, but instead of those pictures we got this from diane who said not a chance in haites. most dogs don't like it and i know cats don't. actually dressing the pets in

costumes make the people look more like idiots than the animals do. i can't agree with you more, but someone is spending $300 million in pets' costumes. maybe they're just too embarrassed to come forward with those pictures. come on, guys. mailbag@wusa9.com. that's our address and i'll be nice about it. that's our report. i'll be back here at 11:00 with anita brikman and tonight we will be your no bull zone after the vice presidential debate. you can watch it all on www.wusa9.com. we'll see you then. bye bye. "entertainment tonight," the

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